The target audience for the magazine that I have been commissioned by, Essex Life, is middle-aged and older citizens. Therefore the images I will be supplying to the magazine will also have to appeal to the same target audience. The majority of my target audience will live in Essex, as the title of the magazine suggests, so to attract its consumers I based my photography in the Essex countryside. I don’t think the images I have produced will attract the majority of the younger generation; as landscape photography is not a common interest for this age group. However, when I presented my images to my class i received positive feedback. A student, Louise Furlong, commented on my photograph of the sun setting by saying ‘It’s quite a plain image but it still manages to say a lot. There is also a good contrast of colours’.

Landscape photography is more suited towards the older generation as they have more appreciation for scenery. Although my images target older citizens; I think they appeal to both genders. They will attract male and female 50+, who will probably be retired or do little work which allows them to have more free time. People who enjoy walks and bike rides in the countryside also tend to like landscape images. This is because most people make the decision to go to the countryside so they can observe nature, this applies to why people look at landscape images aswell. My photos may also interest members of organisations that campaign and protect the environment such as WWF and Green Peace.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT:

As my images were going to appear in the November issue I had to ensure they were related to the month. This was a good time to capture photos as the changes going on within nature is evident. During the Autumn period changes in the leaves, the weather and the amount of sunlight altered how my images were captured. The photos I produced also show a moment of time that could change drastically in months or years or even centuries. The amount of how nature is being destroyed is increasing steadily so this image may be the only existence of nature on this area even in just years to come. In addition our climate is changing so this could also display how the weather has changed to future generations. For example below is a photograph taken in 1955 of the lily pond in Epping. Now, over 50 years later, the lily pond hardly even resembles this picture.

PRODUCTION:

I feel I have made a lot of progression with my technical and creative ability in photography. I was unable to even use an SLR camera at the beginning of the module, now I can confidently use all the settings and aspects of an SLR. It can improve your image a lot by using the settings suited correctly in the scene you are capturing. It is essential to consider the use of aperture, ISO and the shutter speed when taking an image. For example a narrow aperture and slow shutter speed will give you a sharp and in focus image. Where as a wide aperture and fast shutter speed will make the background blurred and out of focus.

I have learnt about the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is an aid to help photographer’s organise elements within a photograph to attract and hold the attention of the viewer. A photographer will imagine a grid of nine identical squares and position the key elements accordingly. Below is an example of this method.

I have also learnt about a lot of elements of composition in photography such as:

• Negative space: Is the empty space around forms and shapes.
• Lines: The the path your eye follows within your image.
• Texture: Refers to the surface quality which may be implied or actually existing within the scene.
• Depth of field: Is the amount of distance in front and beyond the object that is in focus. For example the photograph below shows a very shallow depth of field

I am now also aware and capable of using most of the software on photoshop. Photoshop is a method used to digitally manipulate your photography which offers a range of effects to enhance your image. Below is the layout of photoshop.

When you take a photo that you feel needs to be improved photoshop provides tools to make this possible. Editing the contrast, cropping and removing obstructions are some of the things you can achieve on photoshop. Below is an example of one of functions, the cloning tool.

REFLECTION/SELF EVALUATION:

I feel my skills and understanding with photography have progressed drastically as at the beginning of the module I knew practically nothing about the subject. I am now able to identify most of the settings on a SLR camera, talk about photography techniques and use photoshop. Although I am able to perform basic effects on photoshop I feel I still need a lot of improvement within this area. I need to practice more with this software in order to know how to achieve different effects as sometimes I tend to forget.

I feel I have performed all the tasks given to me to my best ability. I always tried to receive feedback from my family and friends by showing them my photography work. This enabled me to know how people reacted to my images which was a great insight.  As when i received positive and negative feedback I used it to improve my work as soon as I could. I was very committed to managing my time correctly when arranging to take my photographs. I think I done this well as I managed to capture a range of images in a short period of time so I was able to choose the best ones. I planned ahead effectively by researching ideas before taking my images aswell. I also tried to be as creative and imaginative as possible. I think this is apparent when looking at my final images as none of them look the same and are unique.

I also feel that my need to get my work perfect is sometimes a weakness and a strength. This is because I focus all my time on trying to get something flawless that doesnt need to be, and that time could be spent on something more important.

I considered sport as my chosen specialism as I felt there was great potential to achieve powerful images. Within this specialism there is a large variety of different sports available to capture such as rugby, football, horse racing, motor racing, etc. I chose to photograph football as I can relate to this particular sport the most. My decision to capture football images was also influenced by Lee Sanders, a very established sports photographer. I respect how he captures the moment and achieves a real sense of emotion within the image.

I carried out my test shots on a local football team that I know, Theydon boys, at Powerlegue in Haniualt. Before taking my test shots I adjusted the camera to the appropriate settings. I adpated the speed of the shutter to a fast shutter speed to prevent blurring movement as much as possible. I also altered the ISO so it was high and additionally used the flash on my camera as the light conditions were very poor. However, despite my precautions, difficulties arose which affected my images. Although I tried to use lighting techniques to avoid my images being to dark the existing light was too poor to prevent this. Furthermore, the lense I was using didnt prevent blurring of movement which is evident around the ball in the images below.

After considering and carrying out test shots of the above specialism I concluded that landscape photography would be my chosen specialism. Landscape photography is capturing the essence of a scene from a single viewpoint. Unlike other photography animals or people are not the subject of the image, the scenery is. There are three styles of landscape photography which are: abstract, representational and impressionistic.

I then decided to conduct research about landscape photographers and their images. During my research I discovered a fine art landscape photographer, Ed Collacott, that has produced images that I find very interesting. He is a popular landscape photographer whose work reflects a profound understanding and love of the countryside. He is able to project the beauty of scenery which surrounds us in his images. Below I have selected my favourite image captured by Ed Collacott which influenced my landscape photography.

I am particularly drawn to the image below, taken by Ed Collacott, as it shows a wide view of the beautiful surroundings by using a wide-angle lense. Although there very little negative space and quite a lot of aspects within this image, such as the clouds and the cliffs, I admire how it is not cluttered but interesting to look at. I think this is achieved by using the rule of thirds effectively which is demonstrated underneath the image. I also like how the colors in the image compliment each other and make it look ‘fresh’.

Another landscape photographer I discovered during my research was Charlie Waite who is firmly established within the industry. He captures abstract images where design is priority and natural elements are shown as almost unrecognizable. Although I admire the original approach captured within these images I am not drawn towards them. This is because I feel these images are too clinical and lack depth. They focus on capturing design rather than the real beauty within an image which makes me unable to relate to the image. Therefore when I considered ideas for my own images I ensured I avoided this style of photography. An example of his abstract work is below:

BRAINSTORM:

After I had conducted my research I then brainstormed what is related and included in landscape photography. I did this by using my own knowledge and also listing down what I saw in landscape photography. It stimulated me to think of potential ideas and what to include in my images.

I then selected, out of my brainstorm, what I planned to capture in my own landscape photography. I based my choices on the decision that I wanted to photograph naturally beautiful scenery. I wanted my images to reflect nature, not anything man-made. Below shows my choices:

MY TEST SHOTS:

MY FINAL IMAGES:

I have been commissioned by ‘Essex Life’ magazine to provide three to five images of landscape images in Essex. The theme and title of my images is ‘naturally beautiful’ as they show untouched and stunning scenery. As the beauty shown in my images was untouched, I chose to only use limited digital manipulation to enhance the image; not to drastically change anything. However, there was one exception where a lot digital manipualtion was needed as the image was ruined by scaffolding.

IMAGE ONE

I chose this as the first of my final images as I felt it really captures the moment of the sunset setting. I purposely chose to capture my images at this time of day as I think the the sun setting has the potential to give you a really powerful image. In this image there is a contrast between the sky and the ground which I feel makes it very vivid. Even though I thought this image was effective, I decided to crop it. I made this decision as there was too much negative space within the scene.

I opened the image with photoshop and selected the crop tool which is shown as the dark icon below.

Once the tool had then been chosen I selected the negative space I wanted to remove.

Below is the outcome of cropping the image.

IMAGE TWO:

The inspiration of this image was an image captured by Ed Collacott which I have discussed above. His image influenced how I captured this scene as I also took the photograph quite low to the ground. This created a different point of view rather than a person’s perspective. I also chose to capture a low angle of the Sun which picked out shadows and revealed textures within the scene. Although most of the aspects in the scene were fairly dark, I feel that there is not a lack of light in the image. The reflection of the water and the setting sun gave the image interesting and dramatic lighting.

IMAGE THREE:

Below is an image I digitally manipulated to remove the scaffolding. Firstly I opened the image in Adobe Photoshop. I then identified what areas needed to be ‘cut’ out of my photograph.

I then clicked on to the ‘clone stamp’ tool which is the dark icon shown below.

I then ‘cloned’ patches of clear background over the scaffolding to cover and eliminate it from my image. Shown below is the beginning of this process as it shows the top of the scaffolding has disappeared.

Below is my finished image after the cloning process was complete.

IMAGE FOUR:

In this image I used framing which is a technique that leads your eyes towards your main focal point. I could have stepped away from the tree and eliminated it from my image, however i chose to use it to enhance my image. I decided to use the branches of the tree as a frame around the outside edges of my photograph to make my main focal point more prominent. The technique also achieves an awareness of layers and depth in the scenery.

IMAGE FIVE:

Within this image there lies a lot of lines and triangles. This helps give the eye a pattern or path to follow and draws the viewer to dwell on the image longer.

There are many differences between film and digital camera’s. Film photography uses a light-sensitive film positioned behind the camera lense to record images. To capture the image the shutter opens for the required period of time allowing light to burn the image into the film. After this process the photo will then be replicated on the film which will be processed in a lab and turned into negatives, prints or transparencies. To take a new photograph the light-sensitive film must be rolled on to ensure a clear film is now behind the camera lense.

Where as in digital photography the light from the images is being stored in a different way. A fixed electronic sensor behind the lense encodes the light as binary data and stores it in the memory. The sensor contains multiple microscopic light sensors which each represent a pixel. When light strikes each pixel it gains a part of the image’s information so when all the pixels combine its produces an image. There are many disadvantages and advantages in addition to the  technical aspect of digital and film cameras which are listed below:

Advantages of a digital camera-

• The ability to instantly review pictures which means you can immediately correct any problems that arise.
• Pictures can be viewed on a computer without being scanned
• With ever-growing storage capacities digital camera’s can hold an enormous mass of images on just a single media.
• The capability to correct photos using photo editing software. Limited correction tools are available on the camera however more is accessible on a computer.
• Digital camera prints/photos literally cost nothing.
• The ability to change the characteristics of the sensor to adapt to changing conditions for each photo.

Disadvantages of a digital camera-

• Relies entirely on electrical supplies and has no manual back-up.
• The sensor can been affected by dust particles which requires the digital camera to be professionally cleaned.

Advantages of a film camera-

• A fresh piece of film for each shot so therefor it prevents dust building up within the camera.
• Film cameras benefit from being inexpensive.
• Doesnt require electricity to expose instead manual methods can be used.
• Equipment becoming obsolete regularly is avoided.
• Better exposure latitude.

Disadvantages of a film camera-

• Uncertainty until the film has been developed if the photo is effective.
• After the film is developed it is very hard to make any corrections.
• Ongoing film and processing costs are expensive to retain images.
• Requires mass storage for negative, prints and other related equipment.
• Film camera have limited capacity.

Considering all aspects of both camera’s the majority of photographers chose to use digital camera’s. However there still are photographers that prefer using film camera’s such as Damian Counsell. An example of his photography is on the website below.

http://www.sepial.com/

LENSES:

There is a variety of different lenses to achieve how a photographer wants to capture an image. The main differentiation is the focal range which is a measure of how much a camera lens can magnify a scene. The different types of lenses are the following:

Normal/standard lense- These are generally provided with the purchase of the camera by the manufacture. They are suitable for general purposes as they normally exhibit effectively what the human eye can see.  This lense can be applied in documentary and street photography. Standard lenses focal range is between 35-70mm.

Telephoto lense-A telephoto lens is significantly longer than standard lenses as they range from 70-300mm focal length. It allows the photographer to zoom in on a scene’s detail and bring the subject up close without moving closer to the subject. This is particularly beneficial as the situation’s telephoto lenses are used in prevent photographers from getting in close proximity to the action due safety risks or security measures. They are normally used to capture sports, wildlife and  bird photography. Andy Rouse is a photographer that specialises in wildlife meaning that he would a telephoto lenses. This technique is clearly displayed in his work.  http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/

Wide angle lense-The focal range in this lense is less than 35mm. This lense is normally used by photographers to achieve a greater coverage of  the image. By using this lense it allows you to fit a lot in the image therefore it can be used for architectural and landscape photography. Anthony Weller, an architectural photographer, is an example of a photographer that would use a wide angle lense.

LIGHTING:

Front lighting- Front lighting is accomplished by positioning the lighting directly in front of your subject. It can be used to accentuate details, although it can have the tendancy to produce flat images.

Back lighting- Refers to lighting in a photograph coming from behind the subject which is commonly used in nature and landscape shots. This particular lighting creates silhouettes within the image.

Side lighting- This is when the subject is lit more intensely either on the left or right casting the other side into darkness. It can be used to adding depth to an image and showing texture efficiently.

Three point lighting combines front, back and side lighting in order to achieve an effective illuminated image.

Rim lighting-This type of lighting  creates emphasis across the edges of the subject in the image. It produces this effect by the lighting coming from an acute angle. It is particularly effective when used in macro, wildlife and nature photography.

Flash-A flash is a device used to add light to a image by using artificial  light. Other purposes of using a flash is to capture quickly moving objects and altering the quality of light. Direct flash will give you harsh shadows and reflections of the flashlight on shiny surfaces. Where as when you bounce the flash you lose the reflections and shadows and get a much more natural and warm image.

APERTURE AND SHUTTER SPEED:

Aperture and shutter speed both are different settings on a camera that modify the amount of light that reaches the sensor. Aperture alters the amount of light that can travel through the lens by an adjustable opening inside the camera lens. Shutter speed controls the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light and how motion is perceived within the photograph.

This photograph demonstrates narrow aperture and slow shutter speed

Where as this photograph shows wide aperture and fast shutter speed

FOCUS POINT:

The focus point is the central point of interest that draws the eyes of the viewer within the image which can be anything the photographer choses (e.g. a flower or a person). A photograph with a focus point is more effective than others as a viewers eyes will typically need a point to be ‘pulled’ into and this is what a focus point achieves. To accomplish an effective focus point six things may need to be considered- Position, focus, blurring, size, shape and colour.

ISO:

ISO is the term given to how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present in the image. Therefore when the ISO is high the photographer is able to capture low light situations as the image sensor is more sensitive.

TRIPOD:

Tripods in photography are used to reduce the probability of blurring a photograph by preventing camera movement. They are necessary when slow-speed exposures are being captured and telephoto lenses are used as the camera is particularly vulnerable to blurring.

DIGITAL MANIPULATION:

Digital manipulation is when image editing techniques are applied to photographs by using computer software such as photoshop. During digital manipulation photographs can be retouched, composited and color corrected to improve the illusion of the image. Below i have demonstrated on a photograph i captured how photoshop can be used to improve an image. Exhibited is how i changed the background from colour to black and white using the ‘magic wand’ tool.

One of my favourite fashion photographers is Mario Testino who is best known for his highly sophisticated, vibrant work and how he always seems to bring effortless couture to his photographs. His main attribute is his relationship to color in his photographs which he has developed throughout his career. His defined photography has appeared in Vogue and used by high profile fashion labels countless times making him one of the greatest photographers of the century. An exceptional example of his work, and one of my preferred choices out of his selection of photography, is his recent work for V magazine for their September 2009 issue using Lady Gaga as the model which can be found below.

In the photographs below Mario uses contrasting, bold colors on the model and background emphasized by bright lighting to gain attention. He uses close-ups of the model which combine with the bright colors to give the effect that the photograph is ‘poping’ off the page.To add to the effect he uses a harsh front lighting to make the picture extremely clear.  To make the primary image stand out more he uses a simple orange canvas background but still makes the background vibrant to continue with the bright theme. I think it was the correct choice to use a simple background rather than a complex background as it could have distracted your attention from the main elements within the photograph and made it difficult to identify the subject. He also repeats this method in the photograph shown below demonstrating his work with British Vogue by using little negative space to make the primary image more vivid. In photograph 2 he uses blocks of plain color to make the intricate design on the glasses your main focus.  The glasses are also a distinctive shape as they are shaped at the top in a triangular shape giving a dynamic effect to the photograph and leading your eyes. It also appears to be shaped in an upside down heart which may to act as a hidden meaning.  The proportions in both photograph 1 and 2 are enlarged to make the photograph look exaggerated, in particular,  the glasses in both are considerably over-sized. In closer detail the model’s hair and mouth are also amplified as the model’s mouth is pushed open to a more exaggerated gesture and her hair is pulled out to extend its dimensions to decrease negative space. Her hair also creates soft curved lines which gives a sense of flow.

I think he has made these photographs effective as you cant help but look at them, they somehow pull you in!

V Magazine-

Photograph 1

Photograph 2-

British Vogue-

Another of one of my favourite photographers is Patrick Damarchelier who is another one of today’s most famous fashion photographers. Patrick Damarchelier uses a much more subtle approach and different methods to create a bold photograph compared to Mario Testino. One of my preferred choices is his work with Italian Vogue in December 2006 which is shown below. Lines are used collectively throughout the piece to portray the overall effect. In the photograph strong vertical lines are used to give the impression of  prominence and grandeur.  By positioning the models high up it also indicates that they command power. The photograph contains lots of powerful leading lines, in the particular, the models create diagonal leading lines which lead your eyes to one part of the photograph to the next. Symmetry is an important factor in this piece as it is the idea the picture is based upon. According to the ‘rule of odds’ it implies a photograph is more appealing if the amount of subjects in a photograph is equivalent to an odd number. Where as an even number of subjects makes the photograph appear flawless and un-natural. The photograph complies to this ‘rule’ and as a result almost appears artificial. A black dull canvas background is used to make the primary image grab more attention. I think the photographer could of possibly used more elaborate outfits on the models to draw more attention to them as the primary image.

I also have chosen to research sports photography which is used mainly for editorial purposes and occasionally advertising. Newspapers, such as The Sun and The News of the World, have an excessive use of sport photographyh which is mainly located in their back pages to enhance the latest sport stories. Brands also have a high demand for sports photography; particularly Nike. Sports photography captures athletes in the moment of action which enables you to feel as if your there.  Sports photography is hard to shoot due to the many different camera angles and lighting techniques involved to retain a photograph. Mainly the only available lighting effects that can be used is existing light which can cause a range of difficulties, for example if there is no sunlight this will affect the light in the photograph. Sport photography also requires fast telephoto lens in order to capture movement and prevent blurring movement. In order to achieve the best results photographers usually position themselves as close to the action as possible. Other than that sports photography requires little set up or staging a situation. It relies on spontaneity rather than technicalities therefor falling into Candid photography.

One of the sport photographers work that caught my attention was Lee Sanders. The images below are my favorite examples of his work as you can really sense the emotion within the photograph. He captures the photographs with blurred negative space in photograph 3 and 4 to allow your eyes to focus on the primary images instead of becoming distracted by the background. As a result of an out of focus crowd the bold colored clothing on the primary images becomes more distinctive and makes the athletes stand out more. In photograph 4 he has shot his primary image on a slight diagonal which in turn makes the photograph more dynamic. Photograph 4 also captures the emotion on the athlete’s face which is the primary source of all emotion. By shooting the face it makes the photograph talk to the audience. Furthermore the use of lines in both photograph’s is prominent to lead your eyes around the action in the photograph. The main athletes use the most striking, spread out lines within both photograph’s to divert your gaze towards them. Lee Sanders tends to use similar shooting angles throughout his work where as Bob Martin who shoots action, graphic and editorial pictures, uses different shooting angles. I liked how Boob Martin uses different shooting angles as it captures the primary image’s emotions in various ways. An example of his work below in photograph 5 shows one of his extreme shooting angles which creates an exhilarating image. He uses an extreme low angle shot to capture the image of the horse race to make you feel like you are in the photograph beneth the action.  By shooting below it also gives the impression that the primary images are dominant.

Photograph 3-

Photograph 4-

Photograph 5-